Eat Retreat

A creative retreat and national community of food leaders

What is Eat Retreat?

Eat Retreat is a creative retreat and national community of food leaders. We bring together people from across the country and across food disciplines for an immersive, four-day retreat to cook, eat and collaborate. The objective of this annual event is to exchange ideas, spark inspiration and create meaningful connections. Learning and sharing takes place formally through workshops and informally around the campfire.

James Collier

Who Comes to Eat Retreat?

Eat Retreaters are cooks, farmers, food writers, entrepreneurs, butchers, bakers, beekeepers, photographers, food system visionaries, community builders and makers of all kind. Each year, attendees arrive with curiosity and something to share and leave as part of a strong professional network. Meet the Eat Retreat alumni.

James Collier

Want to Join Us?

For each event, we bring together a diverse group of 35 to 40 enthusiastic and generous folks through on an online application process. Attendees are hand-selected for their expertise, collaborative skills, creativity and gusto.

The Eat Retreat Team

founder & director

Kathryn Tomajan is an olive miller who has made award-winning olive oil in California and Australia. She is a certified olive oil taster and serves on the Board of Directors for the California Olive Oil Council. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy.

director

Heather Marold Thomason is a whole-animal butcher dedicated to sustainable meat production. She has raised pastured livestock, established local supply chains and developed retail and wholesale programs to improve market access. In 2016 she founded Primal Supply Meats in Philadelphia, PA.

culinary coordinator

Lesley Stockton is a freelance writer, recipe developer and food stylist. She is a former food editor at Martha Stewart Living and Everyday Food, and is currently the kitchen manager and staff writer at The Sweethome.

James Collier

We are all so different, yet so like-minded. The event puts us into a perfect storm of collaborative cooking, eating, drinking and geographical isolation. It’s what makes Eat Retreat so addictively awesome.Mike Lee, Eat Retreat Alum & founder of Studio Industries